Copyholder



Patented Aug. 14, 1934 UNITEQ STATES PATENT; OFFICE 8 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in copy holders, and its principal object is to provide certain improvements in the copy holders described in my application, Serial No. 447,286 filed April 25, 1939, and Patents No. 1,903,523 of April 11, 1933, and No. 1,908,874 of May 16, 1933.

Generally speaking, it is the object of the present invention to provide an improved copy holder which is adapted for all the purposes for which a copy holder may be used, and more particularly to provide a copy holder that may be used for the purpose of supporting, within convenient view of the typist, a block of sheets or thenote book commonly used by stenographers, or law books and the like which open sidewise, and which call for different supporting means. My copy holder is adapted to serve all three of these purposes, and therefore, may be properly described as a three-in-one copy holder.

It is further proposed in the present inventio to provide a novel means for supporting a line indicator relative to a block of sheets, or a note book supported on the holder, which said means is easier to attach and simpler to operate than any similar means thus far disclosed.

It is a further object of this invention toprovide an additional means adapted for use in connection with the same copy holder for supporting a line indicator over a book disposed on thecopy holder, this means being made for quick and easy attachability and detachability, and having means incorporated therein for flattening the exposed leaves of the book so as to presentrthe reading matter for easy visibility.

It is further proposed in the present invention to provide means for adjusting the angularity of the copy holder in such a manner that the copy may be presented to view in a position most convenient to the operator.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a mounting means for the copy holder by means of which the latter may be placed behind the typewriter so that all the reading matter may be exposed above the typewriter for convenient reading by the operator.

In this connection it is to be observed that different typewriter desks have different arrangements for supporting the typewriter, and it is proposed in the present invention to provide mounting means for my copy holder that will fit into the different desk arrangements.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will appear as the specification proceeds.

The preferred forms of my invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure l a side' elevation of a copy holder IEquipped for holding a block of sheets or a note Figure 2 a front elevation of the copy holder of Figure 1, the supporting plate being moved into vertical position;

Figure 3 a detail view in plan of the line indicator mechanism used in Figures 1 and 2;

Figure 4 a front view of a slightly different form of line indicator mechanism;

Figure5 a side view of the form shown in Figure 4; and c Figure 6 an enlarged fragmentary detail view in front elevation showing the'line indicator in retracted position.

While I have shown only the preferred forms of my invention, I wish to have it understood that various changes or modifications may be made within the scope of the claims hereto attached without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In its main, characteristics my copy holder comprises a platform 1, front and rear legs 2 and 3 supporting the same, and the main supporting plate 4 which is hinged to the platform as shown at 5.

The legs are arranged in such a manner as to allow the main supporting plate 4 to appear above the typewriter when the copy holder is disposed behind the typewriter. Typewriters are mounted on desks in various ways, either on top of the desk, or in a depression formed in the desk as in the conventional arrangement of'the typewriter desk. Each leg comprises a sleeve 6. The sleeve 6 is adapted to receive a cushioning member 15 on which the platform rests. Short extensions 19 may also be used.

The'plate 4 which is hinged to the front edge of the platform 1 as shown at 5 is held in adjusted position by means of a brace 20 pivoted to the rear face of the plate as shown at 21. The bolt 27 adjustably connects the brace 20 to a slotted bar 25.

It will be noted that when it is desired to' change the .angularity of the plate 4, it is only necessary to loosen the bolt 27, to advance it relative to the slotted bar 25 for securing the desired angularity and to then tighten-the bolt The platform itself is made of a flat metal plate having an all-around flange 29 projecting downwardly and having cushioning members 30 The plate is preferably made of two plate sections 32 and 33 held in parallel spaced relation by means of two shoulders 34 interposed between the plates along the side edges and leaving the slot 31. This slot 31 is intended to receive one cover of a note book which when inserted into the slot firmly holds the note book in position, while allowing the other cover and all the leaves of the notebook to lie-against the front face of the plate 4. The 'plate section 32 has its upper end bent backward as shown at 35 to form a shelf 36 on which the leaves of the note book may be made to rest as they are turned over. The shelf 36 is formed with lateral flanges 37 to which is pivoted a yoke 38 in such a manner that the main body portion of the yoke is made to overlie the upper edge of the plate 4 for confining a block ofsheets between the yoke and the plate. To allow the yoke to more easily engage with the sheets and to pass over the upper edge of the .plate, suitable spring means are used as shown at :39, to allow the yoke to yield when passing over the edge. In addition to the springs 39 I may. provide an offset 40 in the .yoke which allows the latter to yield still further for accommodating a heavier set of sheets. The offsets 40 can-be gripped by the operator when moving the yoke. 1 I

The bottom edge of the front'plate :section 33 is bent forward as shown at 41 to provide a f-rontshelf 42 for-supporting asidewise opening book relative to the plate 4, The-front shelf 42 is formed with a central recess-43 as shown in Figure 2, for purposes to :be described-hereinafter, and the front edge is preferably beveled as shown at 44. a

When a sidewise'opening-bookis open half way the pages will be substantially in the same plane, but if the two parts of the book are uneven,

r I use one of the leaf springs 8?!- for raising the thinner part. The leaf springs are disposedalong the outer edges of the plate 4, are-securedat one endas shownat '88, andare free to slide through an eye 89,.whereby when the free end :90 of :each

; spring is retracted that portion intervening between the secured end 88 and the eye 89will-be curved upwardly Iorraising its side of the book. The height of the curve :is determined by -the extent of the movement which may'beregulated.

For supporting a .line indicator relative .to a

note book, a 'sidewise opening book or a .block of sheets supported on the. plate 4, I use a steel tape arrangement illustrated finFigures 1 to 6. This steel tape 66 which is well known in the market, is dished transversely for stifiening the same, and is retractably received ina-a casing 67, the peculiar characteristic of the steel tape being that as it isunwound the projecting endwill straighten out and become rectilinear. Forsupporting the casing, 67 relative to the shelf I pro- Jecting end of the. steel tape toexert a slight degree of pressure on the note book interposed between it and the plate 4. r The line'indicator '10 is suitably secured to the free end of the tape so as to overlie the notebook. -'A smallknob '71 may i be provided at thejoint. between the steel tape and the line indicator to facilitate manipulation of the tape. The surface of the tape is preferably roughened as indicated at '72 to facilitate manipulation of the tape by means of'a finger.- One further suitable means-formanipulating the tape is shown in Figure 2 as comprising a rubber roller 73 overlying the tape and adapted to be revolved by means of a knob 74. By revolving the rubber roller which frictionally engages with the dished face of the tape, the latter may be advanced and retracted.

A different means for retracting the tape is shown in Figure 4, and comprises a strip 75 of flexible material preferably rubber, one end of which is secured to the casing as at 76, while the other end freely overlies the tape. By placing a finger on the free end of the rubber strip and pulling toward the casing, the frictional engagement between the rubber strip and the tape will cause the latter to be retracted, while the rubber of the rubber strip.

The casing itself is preferably formed with a suitable guide 77 for the steel tape, see Figure 5, the guide projecting into the casing and outside of the casing for a certain distance, and the line indicator '70 being fastened to the convex face of the tape so as to allow the edges of the tape to be received in the guide without hindrance with the result that when the tape is in its most retracted position the line indicator 70 is disposed below the projecting end of the guide '77 as illustrated in Figure 6. r

For storing the steel tape line indicator, when in inactive position, I provide two clips 84 on the rear face of the plate 4 on which the slotted wings 68 may be received, and I also provide a clip 85 above the casing 67 forming an eyelet adapted for engagement with a hook 86, provided on the bottom face of the shelf 36 which allows the casing to be supported in the manner shown in dotted lines in Figure 1.

It is understood that the device may be made in various sizes, and that if used exclusively for stenographic purposes and as a support for taking notes, it would be of a size to accommodate a shorthand book, and the upper and lower shelves would be omitted. It would not be necessary to have two full-length plates to form the slot. The rear plate 32 need be only, say, about one inch, and could be raised slightly higher than thefront plate.

.I'claim:

'1. In a-copy holder, a copy supporting plate, means for supporting copy thereon, a line indicator for the copy and a metallic tape for supporting the line indicator in operative relation to the copy.

In a copy holder, a copy supporting plate, means for supporting copy thereon, a line indicator for the copy and a metallic tape for supporting the line indicator in operative relation to the'copy, the tape :being curved in cross-section for stiffening the same and having mounting means tending to urge the indicator upon the paper.

3. In a copy holder, a copy supporting plate, a base secured to the plate for supporting copy lying against the plate, a casing secured to the base, a steel tape in the casing and having a free end projecting therefrom, means for adjusting the length of the projecting end, the casing being arranged so as to cause the projecting steel tape to overlie the book with slight pressure against the book-and a line indicator secured to the free end of the tape.

4. In a copy holder, a copy supporting plate, means for holding copy thereon including a'base projecting from the bottom edge of the plate, a casing removably fastened to the base and having a steel tape retractably supported therein with a free end of the tape projecting over the copy and a line indicator secured to the said free end, a second plate projecting rearwardly from the top edge of the first plate for allowing an upturned portion of the copy to rest thereon, and means for supporting the steel tape containing casing in the corner between the two plates when in inactive position.

5. In a copy holder, a copy supporting plate, means for holding copy thereon including a base projecting from the bottom edge of the plate, a casing removably fastened to the base and having a steel tape retractably supported therein with a free end of the tape projecting over the copy and a line indicator secured to the said free end, and a roller overlying the tape in frictional engagement therewith for advancing and retracting the tape.

6. In a copy holder, a copy supporting plate, means for holding copy thereon including a base projecting from the bottom edge of the plate, a casing removably fastened to the base and having a steel tape retractably supported therein with a free end of the tape projecting over the copy and a line indicator secured to the said free end, and a strip of flexible material secured to the casing and overlying the steel tape for facilitating manipulation thereof.

7. In a copy holder, a copy supporting plate having a base plate projecting from the bottom edge thereof with a recess formed centrally in the front edge of the base, a casing having lateral wings slotted to slide on the edges of the base defining recess and a steel tape retractably in the casing having its free end projecting over the copy and having a line indicator secured to the extremity thereof.

8. In a copy holder, a copy supporting plate having a base plate projecting from the bottom edge thereof with a recess formed centrally in the front edge of the base, a casing having lateral wings slotted to slide on the edges of the base defining recess and a steel tape retractably in the casing having its free end projecting over the copy and having a line indicator secured to the extremity thereof, the casing having a linear guide for the tape projecting into and outside of the casing for a short distance.

BONNIE E. VAN ALSTYNE. 

